CHICAGO | City Casino

[OrdoSeclorum]

Originally Posted by Tom In Chicago

I've never been to a city that had a downtown casino and thought, "Oh let's pop in here for a bit!" To me any city that has a casino - flashy or otherwise - in or very near to the CBD has an air of desperation around it. . . like, oh boy, this used to be a place once!

A downtown casino in Chicago is best left to where the convention traffic is greatest as well as close proximity to Chinatown - where the bulk of local casino traffic will come from anyways. . . the logical choice is the McCormick Place Lakeside facility. . .

. . .

I don't like to gamble, but I've popped in to casinos in Detroit and New Orleans simply because they were on my walking route. I've done the same in Europe.

The casinos in Indiana are designed to appeal old people with little money who want to waste it. If you had a nice casino with a sports book and good theater venue attached, it would make coming to Chicago for a sports tournament, convention or long weekend a little more attractive for, say, 20% of the population. That moves the needle.

[sentinel]

Originally Posted by Tom In Chicago

I've never been to a city that had a downtown casino and thought, "Oh let's pop in here for a bit!" To me any city that has a casino - flashy or otherwise - in or very near to the CBD has an air of desperation around it. . . like, oh boy, this used to be a place once!

A downtown casino in Chicago is best left to where the convention traffic is greatest as well as close proximity to Chinatown - where the bulk of local casino traffic will come from anyways. . . the logical choice is the McCormick Place Lakeside facility. . .

. . .

Basically, Detroit.

[sentinel]

Originally Posted by OrdoSeclorum

I don't like to gamble, but I've popped in to casinos in Detroit and New Orleans simply because they were on my walking route. I've done the same in Europe.

The casinos in Indiana are designed to appeal old people with little money who want to waste it. If you had a nice casino with a sports book and good theater venue attached, it would make coming to Chicago for a sports tournament, convention or long weekend a little more attractive for, say, 20% of the population. That moves the needle.

Yeah, just like McCormick Place

[Tom In Chicago]

Originally Posted by sentinel

Basically, Detroit.

St. Louis is another example I'd use. . . both of which don't have huge tourist numbers anyways, and are likely dwarfed by the numbers of casino-goers and people who happen to be in town for a ballgame that day with nothing else to do. . .

. . .

[Tom In Chicago]

Originally Posted by OrdoSeclorum

I don't like to gamble, but I've popped in to casinos in Detroit and New Orleans simply because they were on my walking route. I've done the same in Europe.

Unless you're in town for a concert or a ball game, Detroit doesn't have a whole lot to do downtown for the average tourist and New Orleans is a bit one dimensional when it comes to entertainment options. . . casino's in Europe are a totally different animal than anything we have here, whether it's in Las Vegas, Northwest Indiana or on an Native American reservation. . . and even then I doubt the average tourist is walking by a casino in Europe dropping in and spending any money, but rather to simply look at the ornate interior décor. . .

. . .

[chicubs111]

Originally Posted by Tom In Chicago

I wouldn't be opposed to a casino in River North /or/ the Thompson Center if it could be incorporated into a larger entertainment complex which had wholly thought out programming where the casino can function as part of a greater whole. . . the only problem with both of those locations is by adding just a massive casino, you're creating a civic space that is not cohesive to the rest of the "neighborhood" and doesn't necessarily play nice with the surrounding businesses. . . unfortunately it appears as though they're looking for a place to plop down a massive casino-as-money-making-machine rather than what I would have in mind. . .

Therefore. . . McCormick Place Lakeside it is. . .

. . .

I understand what you mean about blending in the surrounding area...its almost like it would need a massive decade long term development..almost like Rockefeller center type complex of surrounding buildings based on the central Casino/entertainment complex but also adding a park and other commercial/residential buildings ..The potential is there for something very special if done right with the developer and architects who thinks outside the box.

[Busy Bee]

Originally Posted by Tom In Chicago

...and even then I doubt the average tourist is walking by a casino in Europe dropping in and spending any money, but rather to simply look at the ornate interior décor. . .

. . .

Or to watch crazy German women scream their way into landing 20-Black.

[IrishIllini]

City should look at the United Center parking lots. Close to the action and near a neighborhood that has seen better days. Could pull from the bar and restaurant scene on Randolph and have it all in place (food/drink, concerts/sports, gambling). You'd have to play politics with the West Loop first...

It'd also be interesting to see it SW of the Loop near Roosevelt. Maybe cap part of the BNSF railyard if doable. McCormick works too.

[bhawk66]

If we're throwing the UC area in the mix, toss in Comiskey Park area (Guaranteed Rate Field...blah, blah, blah) I would love to see that action get put down there. Total game changer for that area, imo.

Pie-in-the-sky?

[psxvz]

MPL is hardly easily accessible. There's only 1 bus that goes over there and it's normally packed; the train isn't that close. You can't walk there from downtown.

Have you ever walked through McCormick when a big convention is going on? The hallways are packed. There aren't enough hotels over there - especially when a convention or big event is going.

Logistically, it would be a nightmare.

[Randomguy34]

^ Don't forget about the Metra Electric line, which runs under McCormick and will have a reduced fare pilot starting January.

If the fare pilot becomes permanent and more service is run, it would be the ideal route to shuttle hundreds of tourists from the Loop and McCormick

[TR Devlin]

Originally Posted by Mr Downtown

I think McCormick is too remote from the Mag Mile to attract the casual tourist.

Agree!

Originally Posted by Mr Downtown

convert the Thompson Center to casino and hotel.

Agree!

[chicubs111]

I still think river north is best spot...it fits the theme of a high end casino and entertainment...while still being close to Mag mile and Loop core

[jpIllInoIs]

Originally Posted by chicubs111

I still think river north is best spot...it fits the theme of a high end casino and entertainment...while still being close to Mag mile and Loop core

This begs the fundamental question of who is your customer? Is the 'casual' tourist and Mag Mile shopper also your gambling customer. I say no, it is not!

The biggest source of recurring revenue will be from dedicated gamblers, including regular suburban gamblers who will want parking which McMk has. And the city gamblers, who will take free buses from their neighborpods like the Chinatown buses. And the conventioneer who is at McMk for 3-4 days on a company per diem for meals and room then has down time and is captive in the city and already at McMk or they can also take the existing shuttles from their hotels. And dont forget the after game crowd from the DePaul Arena.

Having a casino in RN or Mag Mile is not a benefit for those districts, it is a curse. Where as McMk is already remote and will have less of the negative fall out from a casino competing for 'walk-in' dollars.

However I would not pose the same argument a casino in Thompson Center- which brings its own unique benefits and where a casino would not negatively affect restaurant/retail trade as much.

[nomarandlee]

Originally Posted by IrishIllini

City should look at the United Center parking lots. Close to the action and near a neighborhood that has seen better days. Could pull from the bar and restaurant scene on Randolph and have it all in place (food/drink, concerts/sports, gambling). You'd have to play politics with the West Loop first...

It'd also be interesting to see it SW of the Loop near Roosevelt. Maybe cap part of the BNSF railyard if doable. McCormick works too.

As long as the Hawks/Bulls continue to play there the next +25 years then that location has a lot of intrigue to me. I think a ready-made 20k spilling out 80-100 times per year before and after the game to continue on with their entertainment could be a nice symbiotic relationship. Also, the West Loop scene would continue to benefit from well-heeled regional traffic that would flow between downtown and the UC/Casino.

A redevelopment of the Thompon Center is an idea I like and a bit loathe at the same time. I guess if London or Paris can have downtown casinos then it shouldn't be too much for a city such as Chicago. Still, it sits so close to the power/law/business nexus of the city that the optics just seem a bit unseemingly for a city that already suffers from perceptions of corruption.

As far as Comsiky? The Sox just don't reliably pull enough day in and out and I wonder if a smart Sox owner will eventually leave that stadium for greener pastures in the next 5-20 years be it in the city, metro, or beyond. Would still love the Sox to build in the South Loop myself, perhaps over the Amtrak yards.

[chicubs111]

Originally Posted by jpIllInoIs

This begs the fundamental question of who is your customer? Is the 'casual' tourist and Mag Mile shopper also your gambling customer. I say no, it is not!

The biggest source of recurring revenue will be from dedicated gamblers, including regular suburban gamblers who will want parking which McMk has. And the city gamblers, who will take free buses from their neighborpods like the Chinatown buses. And the conventioneer who is at McMk for 3-4 days on a company per diem for meals and room then has down time and is captive in the city and already at McMk or they can also take the existing shuttles from their hotels. And dont forget the after game crowd from the DePaul Arena.

Having a casino in RN or Mag Mile is not a benefit for those districts, it is a curse. Where as McMk is already remote and will have less of the negative fall out from a casino competing for 'walk-in' dollars.

However I would not pose the same argument a casino in Thompson Center- which brings its own unique benefits and where a casino would not negatively affect restaurant/retail trade as much.

I disagree... this development will not strictly be a Casino most likely..im sure there going to have an high end hotel and some type of entertainment weather that is a club and/or theatre componet... and a person who is a dedicated gambler will go to any casino weather its in River north vs South loop..you really think that makes that a big a difference to a person who gambles regular?... You do absolutely want to tap tourist dollars and out of towners going to Casino! ... Tourists who center around mag mile may not want to venture to south loop as compared to rivernorth which is closer to all the action and there hotels.

[Chi-Sky21]

You guys talk like McCormick is 100 miles away, if tourists can make it to Navy Pier they can easily take a casino provided shuttle from the Mag mile to McCormick. I would prefer it built over the tracks and truck yard just south of I-55 and LSD. Then I would level Lakeshore east and make it parkland like it should be. Never should have been rebuilt in the 1st place in my worthless opinion.

[Kngkyle]

It makes the most sense as part of this development. It would be the catalyst needed to make this not be a pipedream. https://www.onecentralchicago.com/

Benefits:
- direct access to LSD, reducing traffic impact to local roads
- location is ideal in proximity to McCormick Place and the tourist attractions of the Museum Campus/Soldier Field, not right downtown but close
- direct train access from Millennium Park/the dedicated bus lane to McCormick place could be used for casino shuttles
- large enough site to have the 200-300k sqft single gaming floor that is desired

Drawbacks:
- residents will throw a fit (applicable to any location with residential in proximity)

[jpIllInoIs]

..

[jpIllInoIs]

Originally Posted by Chi-Sky21

You guys talk like McCormick is 100 miles away, if tourists can make it to Navy Pier they can easily take a casino provided shuttle from the Mag mile to McCormick. I would prefer it built over the tracks and truck yard just south of I-55 and LSD. Then I would level Lakeshore east and make it parkland like it should be. Never should have been rebuilt in the 1st place in my worthless opinion.

I wholly agree with this btw... hehe